Culture of native Orchidece. 411 



Art. X. On the Culture of native Orchidece. By A. X. 



In Vol. II. of the Gardener' 's Magazine, p. 285., I gave a short 

 outline of the treatment which had suited some of the native 

 Orchideae, which I had then under cultivation. With the expe- 

 rience obtained in occasionally cultivating this interesting and 

 singular tribe of plants since that time, I have still found it the 

 best that has come under my observation. Since the former 

 communication, I have had under cultivation, Goodyem re- 

 pens, Listem cordata, Liparis Lcesel/z, CTphrys fucifera, and 

 Gymnadenia albida. 



The three first-named species were potted in very sandy peat, 

 using plenty of drainage in the bottoms of the pots. They were 

 placed during summer in a cool shaded situation, and during 

 winter were placed in a cold-frame. The Goodyem has several 

 times flowered, and also allowed of increase, and the other two 

 flowered several seasons. The CTphrys fucifera and Gymna- 

 denia albida were potted in peat, loam, and sand ; and were placed 

 in the same situations as the others, both in summer and winter. 

 The O x phrys flowered for two seasons ; but I never succeeded in 

 flowering the Gymnadenia, as it was a very small bulb when 

 received, but was preserved for three years. I have also at- 

 tempted to cultivate the rare Corallorrhiza innata, but without 

 success. 



In commencing the cultivation of the native Orchideae, it is 

 essential to their after progress, that, in collecting them from their 

 native habitats, the bulbs should be got up carefully, and with 

 as much of the fibres terminating the bulbs as possible. This, 

 in most cases, must be done when they are in flower, as they 

 are not easily recognised at other times ; and, fortunately, they 

 succeed very well when collected during the flowering season. 

 The whole of the soil must be carefully removed from their bulbs 

 before planting, whether they are to be potted or placed in the 

 open ground. I have always observed that those bulbs which 

 had been planted with a ball of earth have soon died off, appa- 

 rently from the ball becoming either too compact, or else sour, 

 from being of different ingredients from the earth in which they 

 were planted. 



Were the Horticultural Society to offer one of their higher 

 medals for collections of native Orchideae that had been under 

 cultivation for not less than two years, say, to be competed for 

 in 1844, it is very likely that some of the excellent growers of 

 plants around London would commence cultivating them with 

 spirit. 



B.G., Birmingham, July, 1842. 



